Oilers Evan Bouchard seeks major raise after Brock Faber extension

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Ryan Hall
July 31, 2024 (8:23)

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Oilers management took notice yesterday after Minnesota Wild rookie defenseman Brock Faber signed an 8 year $68 million contract extension which will impact Evan Bouchard.

There has been much discussion on what kind of contract Bouchard will be offered as he is on his final year of his two year bridge deal with the Oilers. His current contract is a two year $7,000,000 deal but with Faber receiving an enormous increase holding a cap hit of 8.5 million per season and only play in 84 games in his entire career certainly gives Jeff Jackson pause.

Bouchard and Faber cannot be compared as Faber has played only one season, scored eight goals, 39 assists for 47 points along with 24 minutes and 58 seconds in ice time which was the most for all rookies this year.

On the other hand, Bouchard had a fabulous season as he played 81 games, scoring 18 goals with 64 assists for 82 points and was a + 34 with 23 minutes of ice time good he also went four rounds of playoffs, played 25 games with six goals 26 assists for 32 points and was a + 14 helping the Oilers within two goals of winning the Stanley Cup.

The Oilers have numerous contracts to look at including Leon Draisaitl , Bouchard and Connor McDavid but at this moment Bouchard and Draisaitl are priority.

Seeing these kind of numbers being thrown at a rookie defenseman, certainly begs the question are the Oilers prepared to pay Bouchard over $10 million a season? There is much cap juggling that Jackson and Stan Bowman will need to do to make this puzzle fit, but its imperative the Oilers signed Bouchard for the long term as he has shown that he is a main fixture for this team.